


Infinitas

by Myka



Series: Infinitas [1]
Category: Vampire Game
Genre: Angst, Drama, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-11-27
Updated: 2005-11-27
Packaged: 2017-11-05 10:47:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/405563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myka/pseuds/Myka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phelios is tired of being the perfect prince. In a moment of rebellion he faces Duzell, but things don't go as they are supposed too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Escape

“Hey, Duzie, how will you know who Phelios is when you find him?”

Duzell blinked and stretched his paws across the bed before transforming back to his human form. He grabbed his coat quickly from the edge of the bed and covered himself with it.

“I told you already. I’ll know when I taste his blood.”

“I already knew that, silly.” Ishtar smiled, closing her book and looking at the vampire king. “What I mean is, how would you know it’s his blood? Does it taste different from normal people’s blood? Was my great grandfather different?” she tilted her head and gave him a look that meant she will keep asking until she got an answer.

Duzell stared at the princess, his face blank. “No,” he said calmly. “Your great grandfather was very much a normal human.”

“Then how-”

Duzell stood. “I’m going outside for a bit. Stay here.”

“But--” Ishtar started to protest, but Duzell had already opened the door and closed it without another word.

Ishtar sat there with a frown on her face. She knew this would happen, she wasn’t blind. Every time she brought up the subject of her great grandfather, Duzell had a tendency to cut the conversation short or avoid it completely. Many reasons came to mind, but none she could actually grasp and theorize on. Duzell was here for revenge; to kill Phelios’s reincarnation; it shouldn’t be such a big deal to know a little more about them, right? There were so many things she still didn’t understand; so many things Duzell still kept secret.

*****

“Your Majesty?! Your Majesty! Where do you think you’re going?”

Phelios froze at the door, then turned slowly and smiled. “Out for some fresh air, Diaze. I can’t even remember the last time I went out.”

“Your Majesty!” Diaze half whined, half blurted. “You mustn’t go out! The king of the vampires has declared war! The sun is setting!”

Phelios rested a hand on Diaze’s shoulder. “I’m not going outside the gates, I’m not going into the woods, and I’m not going to search for the vampire king. I think it’s still safe to walk around my own castle.”

“I’m sorry, my prince.” Diaze said reluctantly as he stepped forward and blocked the door. “I can’t allow you to leave, it’s too dangerous.”

“But-” Phelios started, sure he’d make Diaze understand that if he stayed inside for another hour he would start screaming. He couldn’t stand it anymore, and he just wanted to do something simple - to take a walk - and it was perceived at dangerous which a walk clearly wasn’t.

“Is there a problem here?”

Phelios turned towards the new voice and paled. “Grandfather,” he said, bowing his head a little.

“What is going on here?” The old king asked.

“My king! The prince just-“

“I was trying to go out for a walk,” Phelios cut the Diaze off, receiving a glare from his grandfather in return.

“You know you’re not allowed outside,” the old king said sternly. “Your coronation is in a week, it’s too dangerous; we are at war if you’d forgotten.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Phelios answered with a hint of bitterness. “But it’s just a walk.”

The king blinked. Diaze still blocked the door.

“Go back to your room, Phelios.”

Phelios frowned, exchanged a glance between his grandfather and Diaze, then turned around and stormed down the hallway up to his room.

He slammed the door and kicked the foot of the bed. Coronation, coronation. That was the only word he’d been hearing for months now. Why did they kept reminding him? It’s wasn’t like he was going to forget he was becoming king. Ever since his father died that was all he’d been listening. Luckily, once he was king they wouldn’t be able to lock him up like a child. It just wasn’t fair. Why did it matter if he was king yet? Why couldn’t he leave the castle out for a simple walk?

Phelios searched through his armory; surely something here would work. He was determined not to follow orders. After a few minutes he had what could pass for commoner’s clothing’s - a worker’s maybe. Making a quick plan he waited an extra two hours, long after the castle had fallen silent. He was sure there were guards at his door, so he silently opened the window, took a slow gulp of the night's cold air, and without thinking about it twice, jumped out. He landed on a balcony from the floor below and two jumps more landed him on the garden below his bedroom.

Phelios grinned and smelled the air, which was largely scented with the lilies and roses of the gardens. It was wonderful and simply free. There was a full moon out and plenty of stars, so it wasn’t hard at all to make his way through the dark. It was chilly, but he shook that off easily. His first stop was by the stables to visit his favorite horse, a proud black stallion. He wouldn’t let anyone but Phelios ride him.

“Hey there, Beast.” Phelios patted the horse affectionately. ‘Beast’ was the name it had come with, following its reputation as untamable. Beast let Phelios pet him and barely moved when the prince took a brush and started combing its hair.

“I jumped out the window,” Phelios told him. “Been planning it for weeks, always though I was going to break a leg trying it, but it was surprisingly easy. Still don’t know how I’m getting back though. I’ll try to go through the doors and distract the guards. If they catch me, I’ll just take whatever punishment my grandfather gives. I don’t really care. I just couldn’t stand it in there anymore.”

The horse whinnied in reply, making Phelios smile. “Next week,” he continued solemnly. “I won’t have much freedom after next week.”

Beast whinnied again, this time reeling back and shaking itself away from Phelios. “Hey! Calm down, Beast. It’s just me. Calm down.”

The horse stomped the ground restlessly and stepped back even further, making distressed sounds. “You’ll get the guards attention!” Phelios hissed, trying to calm the horse down. “Calm down, Beast!”

The horse snorted and stepped back again, and from the entrance of the stable came a crashing sound as something fell and struck the ground loudly.

“Who's there?” Phelios called. Leaving Beast’s corner and rushing towards the noise, he found a pile of old, rusty buckets lying in the ground with the stable doors half open. He rushed out immediately without thinking. ”Who is out there?!” he yelled, not caring if the guards heard him. There was a rustle of leaves nearby and Phelios reached for his sword, only to find it gone. He remembered he had left all of his weapons in his room, and suddenly had a sense of foreboding. He had completely forgotten he was unarmed when he went after what was probably a thief. He couldn’t stand the thought of someone sneaking around his home and stealing.

“Who is there?” he asked again with a little more apprehension. Turning towards where he’d heard the leaves ruffle, Phelios saw nothing, just leaves, and attempted to relax. This ended as he turned his gaze towards the castle and found himself staring into a pair of crimson eyes. Phelios jumped back, startled, swallowing the yelp at the tip of his tongue. He straightened up, reacting as he’d been taught. “Who are you? You’re not a guard. How did you get pass the walls?” he asked quickly, reminding himself that if the man before him had wanted to attack him, he had missed the element of surprise.

The man stood still for a few moments, and Phelios noticed the pallor of his skin and the whiteness of his long hair. Yet, the man seemed young, maybe a little older than himself. The stranger tilted his head slowly to the right, regarding Phelios. The white-haired man was just a few inches taller than the prince, but enough so that he had to glance down to meet his gaze. “Are you a stable boy?” he asked.

Phelios blinked, looked down at his garments for a second and stuttered. “Ah, yes, yes. I was just on the stables, feeding the horses.” He frowned at himself for defending himself so soon. This man was a stranger, he was the one who had sneaked pass the palace walls. He was the one who should be stuttering to questions.

“So late at night? Do you know what time it is?”

“Late enough for there to be no visitors roaming around castle grounds, sir. Are you an overnight guest?” Phelios asked in the manner a stable boy would have been directed to handle the situation.

“No. I just came to see. I wanted to meet someone,” the man answered in a wistful tone as he glanced towards the castle.

“The gates are closed now, they won’t open till morning.”

“I know,” the man said as he looked at Phelios again, and moved calmly around the prince. This set all of Phelios's inner alarms and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand. The young prince turned with the stranger, not showing his back to him. Why did this man made him so uneasy? “The gates were already closed when I came in.”

Phelios blinked. “How? That’s impossible, sir. The castle is surrounded by walls and the main gate is constantly guarded.”

The stranger chuckled and stepped aside. Leering. Bright red eyes shining. “I jumped over the wall,” he said, calmly picking one of the roses from a nearby bush.

“Jumped?” Phelios asked with disbelief. “That’s not possible, the walls are-”

“Twenty feet tall,” the stranger finished. “And it’s not impossible if you-“

“If I what? Learn how to fly?” Phelios tried to make it a joke; surely the stranger was trying to make a fool of him.

The stranger’s brows rose for a moment which Phelios didn’t notice. Then he leaned close to the young prince and whispered in his ear, “If you’re a vampire.”

The smile died on Phelios face, slowly replaced instead by the horror of everything that he’d heard about vampires ever since he was a child.

_“The vampire comes out at night and if you’re not careful it’ll snatch you up and feast on your blood.” His mother would tell him every night before bedtime, until she became ill and passed._

_“The vampire king has declared war! People are no longer safe at night.”_

_“Monsters.”_

_“Evil.”_

“Vampire!” Phelios jumped, reaching for his sword just to remember again he had none. He was defenseless. The vampire leaned close, a hand appearing from under its cloak and stretching towards him. Phelios backed away swiftly and turned to run in the opposite direction. He knew he had no chance against a vampire, especially with no weapon. His best chance was to run. He managed one step before a cold hand wrapped around his wrist and yanked him back. Phelios struggled, but it was clear that the vampire was stronger than him. “Guards!” The cry for help didn’t get very far as the vampire's second hand clasped over his mouth, muffling the sound. Phelios struggled against the vampire, his eyes widening at the creature’s smirk. It spoke.

“I hunger. And even though you’re not the one I was searching for, I guess you’ll have to do.”

Right then, Phelios realized that he was going to die. He would be found in a few hours time on the floor, pale and dead, without a single drop of blood left. He would never be king now, he would never get to do anything again. He’d always thought he’d died of old age or at least bravely in battle, not because he had been stupid. He hated the fact that he was going to die just because he couldn’t stand getting grounded. He hated it.

Phelios waited for the sharp pain on his neck as the arm around his waist got stronger. It failed to come. Instead he felt the vampire’s breath on his ear, a whisper. Hold on tight. The arm over his mouth lowered and closed around his neck. There was a sound of surging air. His feet had left the ground. Phelios eyes widened and his voice demanded he’d screamed but nothing came out; his voice was gone. They landed on the roof and after a moment the grip on his waist loosened, the hand on his neck disappeared and he was released. Phelios turned around instantly.

“You might want to watch your step there, it’s a bit slippery,” the man said calmly. “And don’t try to scream, no one will hear you hear, stable boy; trust me,” he finished with a grin.

“Please stop calling me stable boy,” Phelios demanded. “If I am to die, it will be with respect for my name.”

“And what is your name?” The vampire said nonchalantly.

Phelios glared and stood as tall as he could. “My name is Phelios; crowned prince of Pheliosta; heir to the throne. What is your name?”

Amazement. The vampire’s eyes widened and his mouth slightly opened. “Phelios…” he breathe out; barely a whisper; but as soon as it came it left.

Suddenly, long fingered hands grabbed Phelios’s, pulling him so close that the price could see those red red eyes and for a moment he got lost in them.

He blinked and tried getting away. “What…let go…”

The vampire said his name again, Phelios… Almost wistfully so, then answered the prince’s question.

“My name is Duzell. I am the vampire king.”


	2. The Fall

Phelios felt instantly cold. The shiver that ran up his whole body left him shaking and full of fear, and every possible rational thought flickered and died before it could take shape. Everything he had been taught, everything he had been told, the horrible things he had heard, the horror stories he had been told–none of this matched with what he was seeing. Yet Phelios couldn’t stop his shivering. He couldn’t stop as his mouth opened and he whimpered, “No…”

Duzell blinked, looked slightly amused, and then looked up from where he was sitting on the roof. ”No?” he asked as he tilted his head. “No what?”

Phelios stared at the vampire as he tried to shake the fear away, but failed. “I don’t want to die,” was all that came out of his mouth. Something inside him told him he should stand up and face this, be brave and accept his error and the consequence of it. But Phelios–royal upbringing aside–couldn’t help but think that if he had just stayed in his room, he wouldn’t be here: trapped, and about to die.

“I would be careful if I were you,” Duzell said, interrupting Phelios thoughts. “The roof is slippery, you might fall.”

Phelios saw the vampire smirk as he finished the sentence, and for a moment forgot his fear. Being angry was easier. “Why would I care if I fall from the roof? You’re going to kill me anyway, at least falling would be my choice!”

Duzell’s smirk widened. “I still wouldn’t suggest it. Considering the height and the garden below, the fall wouldn’t kill you instantly. It would be a slow and painful death. With me, it would be different. The pain will be brief, just a flash of a moment, then everything will fade away, and perhaps–if you’re lucky–you’ll wake up again.”

“Monster…” Phelios muttered and stepped back. Waking up after getting bitten by a vampire meant–“I don’t want to be like you,” Phelios quickly snapped. “Bite me, drink me, kill me, but I don’t want to be a vampire.”

“Hmph,” Duzell grinned. “Bite you, drink you… It sounds even more fun when you say it.”

“Fun?” Phelios asked as his anger rose a bit more. “You really are a monster. Beautiful on the outside, but a monster…”

Duzell’s eyebrows rose slightly at the words. He watched the prince step away and get closer and closer to the ledge. “Be careful,” he said. Phelios ignored him, however, and shook his head. Golden eyes met ruby ones and the younger man firmly gave another step back. “Phelios-” Duzell tried again. Another step.

“I still have a choice,” the prince said, and then willingly fell from the roof.

“Phelios!”

The sound of his name rung on Phelios’s ears and he felt the rush of cold and sensed the world rushing past as he fell. He waited for the second it would all suddenly stop, but instead found himself slowing down. Warmth wrapped itself around his waist and without thinking he reached out to it knowing it would save his life, and found himself gazing at burning ruby red eyes.

“I got you,” Duzell whispered.

Phelios could only bite his lower lip and tighten his fist around the edges of Duzell’s cloak. His eyes swam wildly, looking for something on Duzell’s face, but all he saw was what he already knew.

The vampire leaned closer tracing a sharp nail across Phelios cheek. “Hush,” he said softly. “It won’t hurt much.”

A whimper escaped from Phelios’s lips as Duzell tilted his head slowly to the side. “Please…” But his plea was ignored and Phelios gasped as Duzell sank his fangs into his neck. The pain was not as brief as the vampire king had promised, it lingered. Phelios shut his eyes close and cried out. “You said it wouldn’t hurt-you said-”

Duzell replied by pressing him closer and biting deeper.

Phelios cried out again, and suddenly the pain was gone leaving only a brief feeling on his neck followed by tingling that ran through his whole body. His vision blurred and everything went eerily quiet; his senses felt suddenly heightened and he could feel the warmth of the vampire holding him, hear the rush of his blood pumping frantically, hear himself being drank to death.

It didn’t take long for Phelios to realize that he probably didn’t have much time left. For that moment he forgot about being a prince, forgot about becoming a king. He could only think of the vampire, the mouth pressed to his neck, the fangs deep inside. Phelios thought it wasn’t such a bad way to die.

He took what strength he had left to tighten his hold on the vampire king, and gasped one last time before it all went dark.

“Duzell…”

~-~

BAM BAM BAM!

Noise.

BAM BAM BAM!

Loud.

BAM BAM BAM!

“Phelios!”

BAM!

“Phelios! Your Highness wake up!”

The world came rushing back and Phelios sat up hurriedly, flinching for a brief moment before realizing that someone was trying to knock his door down.

“I’m awake!” Phelios found himself yelling.

“You’re late for breakfast, your Highness. The king requests your presence at the table immediately.”

“Tell him I’ll be right there,” Phelios replied automatically, just wishing for the man to leave him alone.

Phelios sighed in relief after the man was gone and fell back into his bed, not exactly remembering how he had gotten there. His thoughts jumped to the night before and he remembered his grandfather ordering him to his room, escaping out the window, and then-

It all came back in a rush and Phelios had to cover his mouth in shock. Red burning eyes came to his mind, pale skin like death, white soft hair. The most beautiful monster he had ever seen. The vampire king.

_Duzell…_

Phelios ran to his washing room and quickly looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes widened when he saw his neck and the extremely visible puncture wounds on it. Phelios swore. He touched them lightly and winced. He swore again.

He stood staring at himself for a few moments wondering how to hide them when it struck him. He was alive.

But how? Why? If he remembered correctly Duzell had mentioned killing him more than once. Had practically promised on it. So why was he alive?”

_“…perhaps-if you’re lucky-you’ll wake up again.”_

_No no no._

Phelios checked his neck again, but saw nothing out of the ordinary as far as he knew. Only a doctor or an expert could really tell, but Phelios couldn’t ask any of them. He didn’t trust any of them, at least not until he was king, and by then it might be too late. He needed to know. He needed to know now, and he could only think of one person to give him a certain answer.

Duzell.

His grandfather had forbidden him of going out after nightfall in order to prevent being attacked by a vampire. It was too late now for that. He needed to find Duzell, he needed to know if the vampire king had started the process that will turn him into a vampire. If he was becoming one of them, he needed to find a way to stop it–no matter what it took.


	3. The Secret

It wasn’t easy to hide the fang marks.

When Phelios had been but a small child, he had always been forced to wear formal prince’s clothing. Which included, among other things, a laced buttoned neck sleeve that made Phelios feel like he was choking. So, a year ago he decided he had had enough of the garment and refused to wear it ever since.

Phelios held the offending piece of clothing in his hands and cursed Duzell’s name under his breath. It was the only thing he owned that could cover the bite mark without everyone getting suspicious. True, there was the fact that he hadn’t worn it in more than a year, which was suspicious enough, but he was sure he could get away with it if he presented it as an apology for being late--and if they asked too many questions, he would just mention his coronation. That topic was always a guarantee thing to stop annoying questions.

Phelios wrapped an extra piece of cloth over his bare neck in case the wound decided to bleed in the middle of breakfast, then put on the neck sleeve. He frowned at his own reflection once the attire was completely on. The fancy sleeves, his covered neck. He looked very prince-like and of royal blood. He also didn’t like it one bit. He pondered again why the hell he was wearing this, and if it was really worth it. Then, the same guard started knocking again at his door and Phelios glanced at the mirror one last time before leaving the wash room.

“I said I was coming!” he yelled with annoyance. Phelios took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob. He was sure to get hell because of the outfit, and he would have to take it all. He couldn’t let his grandfather see the bite. Not only would he call him a fool for being out after dark, but he would panic on the possibility of his only remaining relative turning into a vampire. And if that wasn’t bad enough, it had been the Vampire King--Duzell himself--who had bitten him.

No. Phelios had to hide the mark.

He opened the door and before stepping out cursed Duzell’s name again for good measure.

\---

Breakfast was hell.

Not only did his grandfather approve Phelios’s decision to wear the formal attire, he made a formal announcement that from now on until the coronation everyone should dress similarly for all meals.

After breakfast Phelios visited the castle’s magician, Jinnai. Three days after Duzell had declared war, Phelios’s grandfather had ordered him to start taking magic lessons--specific spells that could help Phelios fight the vampires. Phelios thought it would actually help if he knew some spells. Magic wasn’t as easy as it appeared. A month into the lessons and all he knew was some theory and just one shielding spell, none of which he could have used the night before against Duzell. Phelios considered telling Jinnai to teach him something that could be actually useful--he really needed an actual attack spell, but asking so would probably raise questions... Questions he didn’t want to answer.

“Good morning, your highness.” Jinnai half-bowed, smiling brightly. Phelios always thought Jinnai was continually happy, he’d never seen the magician sad or even frown as far as he could remember. He was glad to take classes with Jinnai, as the wizard made him feel not so out of place in a castle full of older people. After the vampire king had declared war, Phelios’s grandfather started being extremely picky with the guards and only those who had been loyal for more than ten years were allowed to stay in the castle grounds all others had been sent to fight or to train far away. That was one of the things Phelios planned to change once he became king.

Jinnai’s youthfulness made Phelios not feel so out of place, and he saw the wizard as a real friend.

“Morning, Jinnai,” Phelios responded. “I thought I told you not to call me so formally.”

“I’m sorry, your highness- I mean, Phelios. It’s an old habit.”

Phelios smiled a bit as he shook his head. “It’s all right, just try not to forget it next time.”

“I’ll try.”

“You left your hair down,” Phelios commented. Jinnai’s waist long dark blond hair was usually tied with a ponytail, he used to say if he let it loose he had trouble handling it, so far it looked like the wizard was right since he kept pushing bangs behind his ear.

“I had to,” Jinnai answered a little annoyed. “Sofia hid my hair things. She says I look better with my hair loose.”

Sofia was Jinnai’s little sister. Two years younger than Phelios, and with an apparent brother complex.

“I think it looks good,” Phelios said as he sat down on his desk. He saw Jinnai going bashful by the compliment and thought this was a good time as any. “Hey, Jinnai, I have a question.”

“Yes- Yes, your highness.”

“I would like to know more about how vampires make other vampires.”

\---

Phelios left the study session a little more troubled. Jinnai had told him that vampires had to share blood in order to turn someone. As in give and take or take and give. What bothered him was that he didn’t remember anything after Duzell had bitten him, for all he knew the vampire had force some of his blood down his throat. Now he had more of a reason to find Duzell. Maybe he could ask his grandfather to visit one of the training camps…

On his way he met Sofia, Jinnai’s sister. She was the only one who actually called him by his first name after he had requested it.

“Is Jinnai still in the room?” she asked and Phelios nodded.

“Yes, we just finished today’s lesson.”

Sofia gave a small bow and left running as she waved at Phelios. Under normal circumstances he would follow her just to ignore his official duties and talk nonsense with her and Jinnai. Today, however, he couldn’t, he had to plan on how to find Duzell without getting killed in the process.

\---

The rest of the day was spent avoiding his grandfather. Dinner was even more horrible than breakfast, and Phelios excused himself early when he discovered there were double guards at every door of the castle. The only good thing was that so far he still didn’t feel any different, and the bite; which he had checked ten minutes ago when he changed clothes; it looked like it was healing nicely. Even so, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that the vampire king had done something to him; and it was driving him crazy.

Phelios was seriously considering going to the roof and start calling the vampire, when he heard a soft tap. He frowned and glared at the door. “Who is it?” he asked. There was no answer and he opened the door to find no one there; just a guard at the end of the hall. He closed it and immediately heard the tap again. It was clearly not coming from the door. Phelios turned and stared wide eyed towards his balcony and at Duzell who seem to be smirking as he tapped the glass door again.

“Open up, Prince.”

Phelios stood by the balcony’s glass door and gave Duzell a doubtful look. “Why?”

“I believe you wanted to see me.”

Phelios tried to keep his face blank, but failed. “Why did you let me live?” he asked.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” Duzell avoided the question.

“No,” Phelios said.

“I thought you wanted to hear what I did to you.”

Phelios looked hard at the smirking vampire outside. How did Duzell know this? Why was the vampire here now? His hand reached for the doorknob, but stopped short and he dropped it.

Duzell raised his eyebrows slightly. “I see, well since you don’t want to know, I guess I’ll just leave.” He turned and jumped on the rail of the balcony.

“Wait!” Phelios yelled and opened the door without thinking. Duzell smirked at him and jumped down the rail. Phelios stepped back automatically and Duzell stepped forward walking inside the room, looking around as he did so.

“Very nice quarters you have here,” the vampire commented.

“Stop it,” Phelios said. “Now tell me what you did.”

“What I did?” Duzell said innocently, and grinned as Phelios looked annoyed. “Oh, you mean last night when I…” he reached forward and Phelios moved away, but he wasn’t fast enough and Duzell grabbed his chin and turned his face upwards exposing his neck. “It’s healing nicely,” he commented.

Phelios struggled from the grip and pushed Duzell away. “Make it stop!” he said. “I told you I didn’t want to be a vampire, you told me you where going to kill me! Why didn’t you? Why?”

Duzell clasped a hand over Phelios mouth. “Hush, you don’t want to attract the guard’s right? You still want your questions answered, don’t you?”

Phelios glanced at the door for a second. All he had to do was scream and the guards would be there in a second, but then his questions would remain unanswered. He stared at Duzell’s eyes, and slowly nodded.

The vampire king grinned and snatched Phelios hand, pulling him towards the balcony. “Hey! What are you doing?” Duzell stepped flawlessly on the railing again, never releasing Phelios hand.

“Isn’t your wish to get out of this castle?”

Phelios stopped struggling and stared at the vampire. “What do you mean?”

Duzell’s face suddenly softened and leaned close until Phelios could feel the vampire’s breath over his lips. “I’ve come to take you away,” Duzell whispered and Phelios felt his head spin at the words, his thoughts momentarily gone. Duzell’s eyes were so bright.

“If I go with you, will you answer my questions?”

“Yes.”

“Will you let me come back here?”

“I already let you go once.”

“Are you going to bite me again?”

Duzell grinned, but said nothing.

Phelios blinked as Duzell tightened his grip on his hand and pulled him up to the railing. Phelios immediately lost his balance and had to hold tight to Duzell’s shoulder to keep himself steady. The vampire’s arm suddenly grabbed his waist and pulled him close. “Are you ready?” Duzell asked.

Phelios closed his eyes. “Yes.”


	4. The Lies

“Oh god! I’m going to die!”

Duzell roared with laughter as he landed swiftly and jumped again, elevating himself and Phelios high in the air and making the prince cling to him. Phelios was apparently either afraid of extreme heights, speed, vampires or most likely a good combination of the three. Though, perhaps vampires not as much, since he held on tighter to Duzell with each jump.

Phelios saw as the ground rushed towards them then rush back away. It was making him dizzy. All he could do was close his eyes and wrap his arms tighter around the vampire’s neck. Duzell’s grip on his waist felt weak and Phelios couldn’t shake the sensation that any second the vampire king was going to let him fall. Stopstopstopstopstoppleasestop, and suddenly it did.

Phelios slowly opened his eyes once he made sure his feet where firmly on the ground. Duzell had finally stopped on a clearing. The moon was bright and he could see a forest far ahead, but when he looked back he could see nothing, not even the castle’s lights. The prince suddenly realized that he was still holding tightly to the vampire’s neck and without looking at Duzell, slowly unwrapped his arms and gave a step back. Duzell said nothing, but quickly gave a step forward making Phelios look up and meet his eyes. The prince blinked, trying to decipher the look on the vampire’s face, but he couldn’t. Duzell’s eyes seem to hold some interest, curiosity, cocking his head to the side and giving him a slight grin. Phelios jumped slightly when he felt the vampire’s fingers across his neck, his sharp nails making Phelios’s hair stand on end and he suddenly remembered that this time he wasn’t defenseless. No. This time he had a weapon, a dagger hidden on an inside pocket. As Duzell stared at him he tried not to flinch, so instead he opened his mouth.

“Am I turning into a vampire?”

Duzell stopped, giving him a questioning glance. Phelios met the vampire’s eyes again. “You said you would answer my questions if I went with you. So…am I? Are you making me a vampire?

Duzell smirked. “Not yet.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Phelios asked in return, wide eyed and confused. He stepped away from the vampire, letting Duzell’s hand drop to his side. He touched his own neck as a reflex, checking, but there was nothing there--just the lingering touch of Duzell’s fingers.

“No, you’re not turning into a vampire right now,” Duzell said, the smirk never leaving his face.

Phelios thought asking ‘am I going to’ was pretty pointless, considering the way Duzell was answering his questions, but at least now he knew he wasn’t turning. Something inside of him heaved a big sigh of relief. Now he needed to be careful; he already knew what the process involved thanks to Jinnai. Yes. He just needed to be careful.

“Last night, what we’re you doing in the castle?” Phelios asked, trying to change the subject.

Duzell blinked, then gave Phelios a sly grin. “Didn’t I tell you already?”

Phelios resisted the urge to frown; he was starting to get really annoyed by Duzell’s ego or ego apparent. The vampire king always seemed to have this perpetual look of amusement in his eyes. It was like he knew he was in control of the situation and was enjoying gloating about it, making Phelios suffer in the process. Phelios wondered if the vampire king had any other facial expressions aside from the one’s that were perpetually there.

“I remember…” the prince said carefully. “You said you we’re looking for someone.”

Duzell gave him that look again. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Oh,” Phelios muttered, feeling more embarrassed than a second ago. “Why me?”

“I wanted to kill you,” Duzell said in a lifeless voice.

Phelios met those red eyes and didn’t blink. “Really?”

Duzell nodded and stepped forward, looking as if his body weighed nothing, and was just smooth, perfect. “I wanted to find you; the last heir to the kingdom of Pheliosta. I…” Duzell suddenly closed his mouth. He seemed to consider his next words, the smugness leaving his voice, his eyes not looking so cold anymore. It was the most human Phelios had ever seen him. It made him feel like he wouldn’t mind if Duzell always acted like this, as it made him feel somewhat safe. Then Duzell blinked and the detached look was back. The coldness. “If you died, the war was over, I would have won.”

“Why…?”

“It would have been fun,” Duzell interrupted. “A castle full of guards. Constant vigils at your door. Watching your every move. I would have taken them all just to show I could do it. That not even the king could keep his precious grandchild safe from me.”

Phelios flinched. He knew his heart was beating faster, that his eyes showed fright. He wondered how Duzell could look so approachable at one time and the second he wanted him gone. Phelios knew he was shaking, some of it anger, some of it fear, some he couldn’t even decipher as he stared into those red eyes. He pressed his hand against his chest and the hidden dagger inside. He was running out of questions.

“Why did you declare war?”

“I was bored,” Duzell said as a matter of fact.

Phelios blinked in surprise. “What?”

“I was bored,” Duzell repeated.

Phelios stared at the vampire as he said that, still slightly unbelieving the words. Bored? People were dying, families were separated, children growing up alone, all because Duzell, the vampire king, was bored. He had to be lying. No one would be so cruel. No one…

Duzell grinned at him, and something inside Phelios snapped. He suddenly remembered overhearing reports of the war to his grandfather. About death, and lost hope, and war. His body felt suddenly numb, fingers unconsciously reaching to the weapon he carried.

He spoke, his own voice sounding lifeless to his own ears. “Why did you let me live?”

“I don’t know.” Duzell said, sounding genuinely honest. “It was too easy, it wasn’t…just…” The vampire gritted his teeth. “The thought of you lifeless in my arms just didn’t appeal to me at the moment, that’s all. It was boring.”

“Boring? I was…my life-” Phelios felt his anger itching to the surface. Duzell’s eyes remained unmoved, lifeless. “People are dying because you started this war…”

Phelios fingers closed over the tilt of the dagger, pressing.

“Perhaps those not strong enough deserve to die.”

Something clicked. People were dying and here was the vampire king, the cause of it all, not caring about any of it. Not caring who died or who lived, throwing life away like it was nothing. Just a game. Even Phelios’s own life. It was just a game to the vampire king if he; Phelios; died right here by his hand. It didn’t matter if he was scared or if he thought it was unfair. Duzell didn’t care.

Phelios suddenly looked up, eyes angry, mouth set to a thin frown. He had a moment to see the surprised look on Duzell’s face as he pulled the dagger and swung it forward.

Phelios didn’t expect to win, he didn’t even expect to survive the attack, so he was shocked when Duzell’s surprised look morphed into nothingness, and he was even more shocked when the vampire didn’t doge his sudden outburst and the dagger plunged deep into the vampire’s chest.

They both fell forward with the momentum, and suddenly Phelios found himself atop the vampire king, holding a dagger imbedded in the vampire’s body. He blinked as his brain tried to catch up with what was happening, and his eyes met Duzell’s. The vampire tilted his head slightly to the side and he coughed, blood spilling from his lips.

Phelios stared at the red liquid, entranced by it. He was the cause of it. He realized that he was suddenly starting to panic, and that he didn’t know exactly why. Was Duzell dying? Did he kill him? Why didn’t the vampire dodge? Was it safe? What was he going to do now?

The vampire moved and Phelios froze as Duzell’s hand suddenly gripped both sides of his face. He couldn’t think as the vampire gave him a half smile with those bloodied lips. “Well done, young prince. But that isn’t enough to kill me.”

Phelios felt the hands on his face press slightly, adding pressure. He held in the urge to scream, and witness how the look on Duzell’s eyes morphed to what he had seen the night before. Predatory. He suddenly realized he could move and quickly stood up, giving a few steps back. He stared as Duzell followed suit and once up the vampire grabbed the tilt of the dagger and pulled it out.

Blood.

Phelios eyes widened at the sight, and every single inch of his body screamed at him to run. He turned around, but before he could move Duzell was suddenly right in front of him, invading his personal space, looking completely frightening. Blood on his lips, his fangs exposed. Phelios didn’t even had the chance to do anything before a hand snagged his hair, pulling his head back. Another gripped his waist, holding him in place. Then Duzell bit him. Viciously. Mercilessly.

It hurt. Everything.

It took a moment for Phelios to realize that he was screaming. That his hands where closed into fist and that he was trying to hit Duzell with them, trying to get free from the vampire’s death like grip, but this only seem to encourage Duzell and the vampire king pulled him closer and bit deeper. Phelios screamed louder.

“Stop…”

Every moment he felt weaker, and he could hear his heart thumping faster, pumping blood faster.

“Please…”

It was killing him.

“Duzell please…” Phelios whispered with what little strength he had left, and to his surprise the vampire king released him. Darkness swept his vision for a second, and Phelios waited for his body to hit the ground. Instead there was a hand grabbing his arm, and another across his back. Holding him.

Silence.

Darkness.

Phelios neck throbbed with pain, his vision blurred, refusing to focus. All he could see where shapes, his brain was too focused on the pain. Duzell had taken enough blood to leave him defenseless and powerless. He hated being at the vampire king’s mercy, in his arms. Hated how he could enjoy the sound of that smooth voice, and hate his cold actions at the same time. “Finish it,” he said, voice barely a whisper. Duzell needed to take just a bit more for Phelios to loose consciousness, to be completely at his mercy, wake up whenever the vampire decided, or not wake up at all.

Duzell’s grip on his arm softened and Phelios closed his eyes, expecting the grip to tighten once more, to hurt. Instead Duzzel nuzzled at his neck briefly before whispering something, and sinking his fangs again. The pain wavered until Phelios couldn’t feel it anymore, and as he felt Duzell reaching for his hand, twining their fingers together, the words the vampire king whispered came to his mind.

_“I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”_

Lies.

They had to be lies.


	5. The Truth

Duzell was confused.

He heard the repeating thump of Phelios heart as he held him, drank from him. Every instinct he had kept telling him to keep going until it stopped, until the life in his hands ceased to be. Yet there was something making him stop; to keep listening to that beating heart.

Phelios laid unconscious in his arms. The blood on his neck made Duzell flinch. He hadn’t meant it that way, he’d lost control. It had been a complete surprise to witness such brashness from the prince, so much that Duzell had no time to react before he got stabbed. He knew it wouldn’t kill him. Oh, but the look on the prince’s face once he’d done it. It had been like a drug. And Duzell wanted more.

So he stopped before that heart stopped beating.

_Mine._

Duzell was very confused.

He secured his hold on Phelios, hands wrapped around him. Phelios’s neck still covered with blood, the wound still open. Duzell needed to close it. He blinked, and before he knew it; without even thinking about it; he pierced his own tongue with his fangs and licked the wound clean.

_Forever._

\---

Everything came and went. Phelios ran across the halls of the castle, frantically looking around him, he was searching for something, he just didn’t know what. It wasn’t until a hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed his arm that he finally stopped. Duzell was grinning. Phelios felt like screaming. Visions of blood, force, and pain rushed to his mind, his heart beating fast, a hand around his; and lies.

_Let me go…_

Phelios eyes snapped open. The dark hall vanished, the visions faded, the hand disappeared. Phelios stared upwards at an unknown ceiling, lying comfortably in an unknown bed intentively listening to the sound of his heart. A small light flickered nearby; a candle; it gave the room an eerie feeling. It was when he looked at it that he realized he wasn’t alone.

Phelios tried to stay very still at the sight of the figure at the other end of the room. Duzell didn’t move, didn’t speak. The silence made everything worse, then Duzell gave a few steps forward and stopped just a few feet from the bed. Phelios fists clenched around satin sheets, his heart beating wildly.

“How are you feeling?”

Phelios didn’t answer. Duzell stepped closer until he was close enough to touch and he extended a hand towards the prince. Phelios finally snapped out of his daze and he jumped back, eyes wide and frightened.

“Don’t touch me! Please… don’t hurt me.”

Phelios shut his eyes and waited. When he opened them again the room was empty, the only sound left was his own ragged breathing. He pulled the bed sheets up to his neck and swiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes. He idly wondered where he was and how long it had been since the attack. He wondered if anyone had noticed he was gone.

Why had he gone with Duzell? It had been stupid of him to go. Foolish.

Phelios hugged his knees to his chest. “I want to go home…”

\---

When Phelios next woke up, the sun was hitting his face. Its warmth instantly made him feel safe so he sat up on the bed and looked around. The room felt less eerie during the day, the sun’s rays coming in from a couple of small windows high on the walls.

“Good morning, your Highness,” said a soft high voice.

Phelios turned around to find a girl, perhaps a few years older than him, standing by a door with a tray on her hands.

“Morning,” he said automatically. “Er, who are you?”

“My name is Dorothy. I was assigned by my king to take care of you.”

“Duzell?”

She smiled. “Yes.” Dorothy placed the tray in front of Phelios, half of it had a plate with food, the other what seemed to be an extra set of bandages.

“May I please see your neck, your Highness?”

Phelios touched his neck and found bandages around it; he tried not to look too surprised and gave Dorothy access to them by lifting his head. She carefully unwrapped them. “It’s healing decently,” she said calmly.

“Is it going to leave a scar?” Phelios asked without thinking.

Dorothy blinked and for a moment Phelios thought he saw something in her eyes, but her smile returned. “It shouldn’t,” she said as she finished replacing the bandages.

“Are you a vampire?” Phelios asked again without thinking.

“No,” Dorothy answered.

“Are you a human?”

She tried not to laugh. “Of course.”

“Then how? Why? Where-what is this place?” Phelios felt confused and relieved; here was someone who could answer his questions, someone who was like him.

Dorothy seemed to flinch at the questions and quickly stood up. “I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to answer such questions.”

“But-”

“My king will be angry with me if I do. Please eat your meal. I’ll return for the tray later.”

Phelios tried calling out to her, but she left through the door and instantly he heard a click sound. He tried to rise from the bed and quickly felt his muscles clamp up, numb, unresponsive.

He was truly trapped.

\---

Dorothy returned twice to the room to bring food. Whenever she came in Phelios would ask her questions, but she would just avoid his gaze and leave without a word. The last time she came Phelios was desperate. He’d been watching the sun change through the windows. “Please,” he begged. “The sun’s about to set, I can’t be here! Please!”

She ignored him, but Phelios could see she wasn’t enjoying it. And yet she still left without a word, and Phelios could do nothing but wait and watch. The light from the windows kept fading with each passing minute. Phelios glanced at the door every once in a while, he tried to get out of the bed too but couldn’t. Then the sun was completely gone. The door felt like a menace, he knew what would eventually happen, he knew who would next cross through that door.

Duzell made no noise when he stepped in. He just glanced at Phelios from afar meeting his eyes and never looking away. Phelios couldn’t look away either, he felt frozen on the spot, like there were suddenly chains around his wrists keeping him in place. Duzell stopped a few feet away and leaned against a wall.

Phelios finally found his voice.

“Please let me go. My coronation is to come, my grandfather-”

“Your coronation was yesterday,” Duzell interrupted; voice lacking emotion. Phelios eyes widened, and before he could ask Duzell answered. “You were unconscious for a few days, weak, it is only now that you are able to talk and move a bit. You still need rest. Your body is still weak.”

It couldn’t be.

He’d missed his own coronation.

“I heard,” Duzell said. “That the king has postponed the coronation because his grandson has fallen ill.”

Phelios blinked and looked up at Duzell. “He’s keeping it a secret,” he said.

“It appears so,” Duzell added, finally leaving the wall and stepping forward.

Phelios felt brief relief then a sudden alarm. His grandfather had kept his disappearance a secret. Probably to keep the people at calm, they were in a war after all. They were probably even searching for him. Perhaps they were even close by. Phelios thought about his options, he was so concentrated on them that he didn’t notice Duzell come closer until the vampire had reached out and run his fingers against his cheek.

Phelios instantly jumped back, hitting Duzell’s hand away. Duzell gave him a look he couldn’t decipher.

“Why do you hate my touch so much?” the vampire finally asked after a brief silence.

“You…” Phelios swallowed hard. “You attacked me, I… I thought you were going to kill me, at one point I even wanted you to because it hurt so much. You lied to me.”

Duzell opened his mouth then closed it. For a moment it seemed he was going to lash out at Phelios but he quickly calmed and spoke very softly.

“I’m sorry.”

Phelios stared. “…what?”

Duzell sat on the bed, avoiding the prince’s eyes. “That night you surprised me, I was angry and thrilled at the same time. I… I lost myself in that moment. I never wanted to hurt you. Forgive me.”

Phelios saw Duzell’s hand itch towards his, but stopping short. He didn’t understand. “Why?” he asked. “Why would you ask for me to forgive you?” Here was Duzell; the vampire king; asking to be forgiven. Nothing made sense.

Duzell met his eyes and Phelios saw the same look he’d seen before--the one he couldn’t read. It made his heart beat faster with every second.

“Because,” Duzell finally spoke, hand stretched out once more. Phelios allowed him to touch his face. Duzell’s touch was gentle, his fingers soft as they touched his skin.

“Because I want you to stay by my side.”


	6. The Dream

_“I want you to stay by my side.”_

The words kept repeating over and over in Phelios’s head ever since Duzell had said them, just before the vampire had left him alone in that room.

The night after that, Duzell visited him again as if nothing had happened. The vampire only checked on his wound, touching Phelios’s face again. Phelios let him do it. He wasn’t afraid anymore, but he also hadn’t given Duzell an answer when the vampire had asked to be forgiven. Phelios still didn’t know what to say about that. Instead they talked, mindless, pointless. Nothing about the war, nothing about now.

Phelios talked about how he loved running around by the gardens when he was a child, out under the sun when his mom was still alive. Duzell responded by telling him he doesn’t remember anything but the life he has now.

“I think that's sad,” Phelios murmured, looking at him from across the room.

Duzell just avoided the question and walked towards him. “May I sit down?” he asked pointing at the empty spot on the bed.

“Sure.”

Duzell sat down and gave Phelios a lingering look. Phelios thought it was time to change the subject. “Do you think they’re looking for me?”

Duzell looked away. “They are.”

“How do you know?” Phelios asked glancing at the vampire for something on his face. A lie perhaps.

Duzell raised an eyebrow slowly and grinned. “A spy.”

“In Pheliosta?”

“Where else?”

Phelios eyes widened slightly and he immediately worried. A spy in his home, near his friends and family. A vampire? “How? Who?” he asked without thinking.

Duzell leaned over, grabbing Phelios’s arm and whispering in his ear, “Your teacher.”

Phelios turned and met those eyes, “Jinnai?”

Duzell nodded.

“What about Sophia?” Phelios asked.

“Her too. Though she’s not as useful. I didn’t really have much interest in knowing how they cooked your food.”

Phelios frowned and had the instant urge to hit Duzell. Jinnai and Sophia were two out of possibly five people he trusted and considered friends, and they weren’t real. Duzell snickered and Phelios couldn’t hold himself anymore and threw a punch at the vampire.

Duzell caught his fist and pushed Phelios back against the mattress, pinning him down with his body. “No hitting.”

The prince tried to pushed Duzell away. “Get off of me!”

“Are you upset?” Duzell whispered.

“I’m angry,” Phelios snapped.

“You shouldn’t be. They might be working for me, but they do care for you. So much they sometimes make me wonder where there loyalties lie.”

“That doesn’t change anything.”

“Oh?” Duzell said, and slowly ran his hand against the side of Phelios’s face. “Then why do you let me do this? A week ago you would have tried to bite my hand.”

Phelios froze, his brain told him it was dangerous not to say anything, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. Something must have shown on his face because Duzell’s eyebrows suddenly rose and he leaned forward and pressed his mouth against Phelios’s neck.

Phelios felt his face heat up. “Eh? Wha…” Duzell nipped his skin lightly with his mouth, fangs lightly grazing. Phelios didn’t know what to do; his heart was racing; he couldn’t breath. Something was wrong with him. Duzell was a vampire, the vampire. He hated him; he was supposed to hate him.

“Once I can walk I’m leaving.”

Duzell stopped and looked at him. Phelios grabbed his shoulders and pushed him off. “I’m going to sleep, please leave.” Duzell frowned and suddenly wrapped his arms around Phelios’s back pulling him in until their noses almost brushed. Phelios heart almost stopped, but Duzell suddenly pushed him away and before Phelios could think Duzell was gone.

~-~

Dora came over during the day and finally removed the bandage for good. “It looks almost completely healed now,” she said smiling, but her smile withered when she saw Phelios’s sad eyes. When she stepped away to get the food Phelios tried to get up and ended up a heap on the floor. Dora quickly helped him back into the bed and brought the food.

“Why am I so weak?” Phelios asked. “I can’t even stand up.”

“It’s a side effect.”

“Side effect?”

“I mean…” she quickly said, sounding a bit alarmed, “from the blood loss.”

Phelios kept his face neutral. “I see.”

She kept cleaning around the room.

“Is this normal?” Phelios asked very quietly after a brief silence.

For a few moments Dora seemed to ignore him until she finally spoke. “What is?”

“For Duzell to bring someone here, to tend to them… like this.”

“Not like this,” she murmured. “But he did take me in when I had nowhere else to go.”

“Do you love him?” Phelios asked suddenly.

Dora stopped what she was doing and looked at Phelios with a hurt look in her eyes. Phelios didn’t know why he had asked the question. It had just escaped his lips without thought, and yet he still felt he wanted to know. Needed to know.

“I… care about him,” she suddenly smiled warmly. “Yes. You could say I love him.”

“Does he love you?”

This time she smiled sadly. “No. Duzell he… Duzell hasn’t loved anyone for a very long time.”

Phelios didn’t know what to say to that. He still didn’t know why he had asked those questions; with them he’d hurt Dora who had been kindly helping him. He didn’t speak after that. He stood still and wondered.

He wondered if it would hurt to love Duzell.

~-~

Phelios fell asleep before nightfall and when he woke up he wasn’t alone. He could see the moon out the window, but it didn’t feel natural, his eyes wouldn’t focus, his body wouldn’t move. Duzell’s presence made his heart beat wildly, but not out of fear.

A dream?

Phelios could feel the vampire’s presence in the darkened room and he looked towards the source of it. Duzell’s eyes seemed to widen slightly in surprise when Phelios matched his gaze. Without speaking the vampire approached the bed slowly, hand reaching out until his fingers ran through Phelios’s hair, the other gently across his cheek. Phelios stared deeply into that beautiful face as Duzell laid on the bed beside him, touched him, one hand on his face the other wrapped around his waist. For a moment Phelios thought he was going to get bitten again as Duzell’s fingers ran gently across his cheek. And yet, even as he leaned towards the touch he wondered why would he dream something like this--but Duzell didn’t bite him. His face only inched closer until Phelios could feel warmth breath on his lips.

“Duzell,” Phelios whispered as his hand wrapped around the vampire’s neck.

And then Duzell kissed him.

It was soft, lips touching his again and again, tasting, wanting. Phelios forgot how to breathe when the lips moved downward to his chin and down his neck. The flick of a tongue, the brief feeling of teeth.

Phelios moaned.

A hand wrapped across his back, making his body arch upwards. The mouth moved to his collarbone then his chest, fingers slowly taking off every button of his shirt away until it opened and there was nothing between his skin and that mouth.

It felt like heaven. Where everything else had fallen apart. His coronation, his rebeldy, learning, practicing. Day after day of preparing to be someone. Someone Phelios wasn’t sure he wanted to be. It was everything, and it confused him. Phelios wanted to be kissed again. So much that when Duzell nipped at his neck again he grabbed that beautiful face and kissed it.

Hands, fingers, lips. Why did he feel like this? Why did he want more?

It was a dream.

Duzell whispered something in his ear.

_I want you._

Oh.

_Oh._

For Phelios it was more than that.

It really felt like heaven when Duzell kissed him again and again. Phelios’s hands ran through Duzell’s soft hair and he tilted his neck upwards without thinking, offering.

There was no bite, just lips, kisses.

Phelios wanted much more. Yet there was something bothering him. And it wasn’t Duzell’s hand that inched lower with every passing second. Something important.

People.

War.

_Can’t…_

One of Duzell’s fingers hooked around his waistband.

If that line was crossed he would never be able to come back.

“This can’t happen!”

A shove.

A glare.

Phelios’s heart wanted to break.

Duzell hovered above him, eyes sharp, angry. Phelios resisted the urge to reach out to him then Duzell suddenly grabbed and yanked his hand hard, bringing his wrist to his mouth. Phelios had only a moment to see what was happening before Duzell opened his mouth and sank his fangs into the tender flesh. The dream shattered. Phelios resisted the urge to scream. It hurt, it hurt too much for it to be a dream. It was real. He whimpered, and before he knew it it was over and Duzell was licking the wound.

Another shudder passed over Phelios. A bad feeling.

“What are you doing?”

The vampire ignored him and kept licking. Phelios thought there was too much blood. “What are you doing, Duzell?”

This time Duzell looked at him, grinned, and with the same bloodied mouth kissed him hard.

Phelios squirmed from the kiss and moved away from the vampire. It had been different. Not like before. He stared at Duzell with sad eyes and watched as Duzell vanished.

Phelios instantly felt it. He didn’t even have to question it this time. He stared at his wrist in silent horror, and before his very eyes the wound closed.


	7. The End

Waiting for morning was hell.

Not shortly after Duzell had left, Phelios discovered that his feet finally worked and that he could walk. His first urge was to leave, but the sudden thought of ‘what If’ scared him to death. What if Duzell had turned him? What if he was one of them now? He had seen the wound on his wrist heal right before his eyes, and that scared the crap out of him.

He wanted to run.

But the sun…

What if it killed him?

Phelios could do nothing but wait.

He stared at one of the windows in the room--watched as the colors changed from utter darkness to soft hues of pink and purple. He stared at the first ray of light to come from the window and into the room. Phelios took a deep breath, closed his eyes and put his hand in the light.

Nothing.

A huge weight lifted off his shoulders, but at the same time he also felt as if he’d lost something. Phelios stared at his hand and shook the feeling away. He had a duty to perform, there were people that needed him to live. Even if somewhere he cared about Duzell; and he did; he knew he did. The night before was a proof of that, he had allowed Duzell to kiss him, he himself had kissed the vampire, they almost--

Phelios shook his head again. That line of thoughts would get him nowhere. He couldn’t stay. He had to leave.

The door to the room was locked so he had to wait. It wasn’t long before Dora came through the door. At first she didn’t notice, she just walked in without looking around; it wasn’t until she looked up towards the bed and found it empty that she froze on the spot.

“I’m over here,” Phelios said.

She turned quickly, her eyes wide. “You can walk!” she exclaimed. “He-”

Phelios knew who ‘he’ was--Duzell. Dora quickly shut her mouth realizing she had almost said more than she should have.

Phelios couldn’t help but frown. “You knew didn’t you?” he said. “The ‘side effects’. They weren’t because he was feeding from me; it was because he was turning me.”

She looked away, and that was answer enough.

Phelios closed his eyes. “Is there a way to-fix it? Stop it?”

“I…” Dora said. “I don’t know.”

Phelios took a deep breath. He knew Duzell had started something to make him a vampire. He didn’t know if it was permanent; but he knew the sun didn’t hurt him. He made a decision.

“I need your help,” he said as he walked up to Dora. “Tell me how to get out of here.”

\---

Duzell’s stables were huge. It surprised Phelios that the vampire king actually kept horses. Dora led him across the stables and some of the horses started whinnying wildly when they walked past them. “I’m sorry,” Dora apologized, “some of the horses are new and aren’t used to-” she stopped. Phelios understood.

“They’re not used to vampires yet,” he said.

“Yes.”

Phelios tried not to think about that fact. “Just show me a horse I can ride,” he said keeping his voice as calm as possible. Dora finally led him to a dark stallion that stayed calm even after Phelios approached him.

“He’s fast, and he will give you no trouble,” she said. “If you head north without stopping you’ll be in Pheliosta before sundown.”

Phelios patted the horse to make sure and after putting the saddle, mounted him. He took the reins and headed forward, then suddenly he felt Dora’s hand on the reins stopping him.

He didn’t even look at her. “Please,” he said. “You know I can’t stay.”

“I know,” she answered quietly, her voice weak. Phelios noticed and looked downwards at her. She gazed up. “I thought you would be the one…” she whispered, her eyes saddened, tired, “…for him…”

Phelios swallowed hard and looked away, giving his reply in a whisper; his voice shaking. “I can’t be the one. We’re enemies.”

“It’s sad,” she muttered and released the reins.

Phelios didn’t reply and rode off into the sun.

\---

The prince tried not to stop, but that was impossible. The horse needed to rest. The further they went the more Phelios started recognizing the area. The more time passed the more restless he became, he didn’t want the sun to fall, he wanted to be safe inside his home before that happened. His heart couldn’t take seeing Duzell. Yet he knew it was impossible, he wouldn’t get there in time.

The sky was already dark when he finally spotted the lights of Pheliosta ahead. He was home.

His relief to be home was short-lived when suddenly the horse jumped and whinnied slightly. Phelios turned his head and saw nothing, but regardless, his pulse doubled. For a moment he couldn’t breath, like all the air have been sucked out, and suddenly fingers wrapped around his wrist and pulled him off the horse and to the ground. Phelios almost lost his footing when he landed, but recovered quickly as Duzell dragged him away from the horse.

“Where are you going?” the vampire asked sharply after stopping a few feet away.

“Home of course,” Phelios answered as he tried to escape Duzell’s hold on him.

“Why?” the vampire asked, suddenly sounding confused.

Phelios stopped struggling and slowly he looked up and met the vampire’s gaze. Again, he couldn’t read what was in Duzell’s eyes, there wasn’t anger or hatred; it was more like desperation. Phelios felt his heart clench and he looked away.

“How long?” he asked, changing the subject and stretching out his fingers until they touched Duzell’s cloak. “Before I am like you? I need to know how much time I have left.”

There was a pause and Phelios felt Duzell’s hold on his wrist tighten. “It’s not finished,” the vampire said between gritted teeth. “I just need to do it one more time.”

“Not-” Phelios didn’t believe him. “My hand-last night-I saw it healed before my eyes.”

“That was just a reflex of when I shared my blood with you last night,” Duzell said. Phelios met the vampire’s gaze again, then suddenly he pulled Phelios forward and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “Please let me share my blood with you again.”

Phelios felt his entire body shake. “Why? I told you I didn’t want-”

“Because I want you to stay,” Duzell interrupted, hugging him tighter. “I want you to be mine.”

Phelios stood still for a moment; pressing his head against the vampire’s chest; then bit his bottom lip and shook his head. “If all you do is want why don’t you do it? Why don’t you force me?”

Duzell stayed still, then slowly dropped his arms to the side, letting Phelios go. The prince quickly looked up.

“Why do you desire to go back to those humans? You’re always trying to break their rules, always trying to escape. I’m only making your wish a reality.”

Phelios blinked and gave one step back. “They’re my family. They need me. They love me.”

Duzell humphed and turned his head towards the castle in the distance. “Always that thing; love. It is too complicated.” Phelios kept his face blank, as Duzell turned back towards him then walked behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. Phelios took a sharp breath and close his eyes. He felt Duzell’s breathe against his throat, and something inside him tried to react and yet failed. His body wouldn’t move he could only hear his heart thump faster and feel Duzell’s body against his.

“Besides,” Duzell whispered, pressing his mouth against Phelios neck. “It’s not like you love me. And I don’t love you.” He kissed Phelios neck. “It’s better to just-“

Phelios eyes snapped open and in one swift move he escaped Duzell’s hold and stepped away.

“You-” he whispered. Duzell didn’t hear him and remained behind the prince, unmoving.

Phelios couldn’t take it anymore.

"It’s not like you love me."

He knew those words were a lie; he was certain now. The way his heart clenched at the words, and how much he wanted to scream. It hurt. All this time he had tried to convince himself that it was just a simple infatuation, that it was just the vampire's presence affecting him--but not anymore. Now he knew. He had fallen in love with Duzell.

How? Why? It didn’t really matter. One look at Duzell’s eyes and he knew the vampire didn’t feel anything. Nothing for him. Still… he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe…

Phelios took a sharp breath and in a bold move ran back towards Duzell, wrapped his arms around the vampire’s neck and kissed him.

Duzell kissed him back, wrapping his arms around Phelios’s back. It was frantic, and needy, and Phelios knew it couldn’t last. He broke the kiss and held Duzell’s face with both hands, matching the vampire’s gaze and not letting go.

“Look into my eyes, Duzell. What do you see?” he asked in a half broken voice.

Duzell’s eyes remained neutral, unmoved. Then slowly his mouth turned into a frown and his voice sounded disappointed. “What do I see?” he mocked. “I see a stupid human who can’t see what I offer.”

Phelios let his hands drop to his side and closed his eyes.

A stupid human who loves you.

“Goodbye, Duzell.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“I’m not.”

Silence. Phelios took one breath at a time. He still felt Duzell’s presence before him, but he refused to open his eyes, that would just open the gates. He heard movement from his right and suddenly felt fingers against his face. He jumped, keeping his eyes close.

“Go away, Duzell!” he screamed. “Go away or kill me here!”

I can’t go with you. I can’t be yours.

The silence stretched, and suddenly there was nothing. Phelios opened his eyes and found himself alone. The horse grazing calmly a few feet away. Duzell was gone.

It was over.

Phelios noticed almost immediately that he was crying, he wiped his eyes, but the tears wouldn’t stop. It took days for Duzell to steal his heart away, and just seconds to break it. And the vampire didn’t even know.

He looked at his kingdom and told himself he had made the right choice. He just wished he could believe it. He idly wished he could forget it all, but as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground he knew it wouldn’t be possible. He might heal with time, but he would never forget.

Never.

He let the tears fall away. He wept.

\---

Phelios didn’t care.

He didn’t care as he knocked on the gates and identified himself. Didn’t care as everyone stared at him and kept asking in panicked voices what had happened, where he had been, was he hurt. Didn’t care when his grandfather paled considerably when he saw the bite on his neck.

The next few days were a blur. Watchful eyes everywhere, pampered and sometimes it felt that he didn’t even have to lift a finger to feed himself. Jinnai watched him close, and Phelios didn’t bother to tell his ‘teacher’ that he knew he was a spy. He wanted Duzell to know. Some part of him wanted Duzell to know how much he was hurting.

It was when he was finally alone in his room that he knew. He’d been staring out the window for hours watching the night with the fascination of a child, letting the feelings go through him. He was different know. Not a vampire, but more than human. He knew he had his duty to fulfill, that he had to be strong. For his kingdom, for all the people that depended on him. And yet all he wished for was for Duzell to come to his window again and take him away.

He wished for it, desired it, for months after that night he waited.

Duzell never came.

The war never stopped.

Phelios became a king.

Years didn’t change the past. It never changed how he felt.

No matter how hard he tried. No matter what he did. He never stopped loving Duzell.

He waits again now.

He knows as he orders his kingdom to be barren of people; those remaining behind are there just to fight. Days and nights are spent in battle, and Phelios knows he must find a way to end it. From his room he can see the signs of his enemy far away, making their way closer, bidding their time when they will attack.

Duzell is there. Somewhere. A familiar longing fills Phelios’ heart, one that will likely remain unfulfilled.

He waits. He knows. The time has come to end it all.

END


End file.
